Before the guests seated themselves they wandered around the hall and inspected the decorations one by one.  Nor was their admiration exhausted when they turned to the discussion of the toothsome dainties provided for their delectation.

During the progress of the banquet, the story of Jason was enacted.  Time there certainly was for the play.  La Marche estimated forty-eight dishes to every course, though he qualifies his statement by the admission that his memory might be inexact.  These dishes were wheeled over the tables in little chariots before each person in turn.

“Such were the mundane marvels that graced the fete,” is the conclusion of La Marche’s[6] exhaustive enumeration of the masterpieces from artists’ workshops and ducal kitchen.

“I will leave them now to record a pity moving entremets which seemed to be more special than the others.  Through the portal whence the previous actors had made their entrance, came a giant larger without artifice than any I had ever seen, clad in a long green silk robe, a turban on his head like a Saracen in Granada.  His left hand held a great, old-fashioned two-bladed axe, his right hand led an elephant covered with silk.  On its back was a castle wherein sat a lady looking like a nun, wearing a mantle of black cloth and a white head-dress like a recluse.[7]

    “Once within the hall and in sight of the noble company, like one
    who had work before her, she said to the giant, her conductor: 

      “’Giant, prithee let me stay
        For I spy a noble throng
        To whom I wish to speak.’

     “At these words her guide conducted his charge before the ducal
    table and there she made a piteous appeal to all assembled to come
    to rescue her, Holy Church, fallen into the hands of unbelieving
    miscreants.  As soon as she ceased speaking a body of officers
    entered the hall, Toison d’Or, king-at-arms, bringing up the rear. 
    This last carried a live pheasant ornamented with a rich collar of
    gold studded with jewels.  Toison d’Or was followed by two maidens,
    Mademoiselle Yolande, bastard daughter of the duke, and Isabelle
    of Neufchatel, escorted by two gentlemen of the Order.  They all
    proceeded to the host.  After greetings, Toison d’Or then said: 

“’High and puissant prince and my redoubtable lord, here are ladies who recommend themselves very humbly to you because it is, and has been, the custom at great feasts and noble assemblies to present to the lords and nobles a peacock or some other noble bird whereon useful and valid vows may be made.  I am sent hither with these two demoiselles to present to you this noble pheasant, praying you to remember them.’

“When these words were said, Monseigneur the duke, who knew for what purpose he had given the banquet, looked at the personified Church,